4 Questions to Ask Your Age Discrimination Attorney

Age discrimination laws in the US prevent employers from treating older employees differently with respect to hiring, wages, benefits, termination, and other conditions of employment. Still, data compiled by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reveals that there are more than 15,000 charges filed by employees 40 years and older, alleging age discrimination. The reason for filing a charge is to draw attention to illegal practices on account of age, enabling the EEOC to exercise its authority and investigate.

In a successful EEOC charge for age discrimination, you may be able to recover monetary damages for backpay, front pay, the value of benefits lost, and other compensation. It is also possible to get injunctive relief, ordering your employer to cease misconduct. To pursue these remedies, you should retain a skilled West Palm Beach discrimination attorney, which can seem like a daunting task if you never needed representation in the past. When you ask a few key questions, you will be able to narrow down candidates.

 Do I have a case for age discrimination? You will not get a definite Yes or No answer, but your lawyer should be able to determine whether you have a valid claim after getting some facts from you. For these cases, you must have evidence showing that your employer treated you differently from younger workers, and you suffered harm as a result.

 Can you tell me about strategy? The first step with all age discrimination claims is filing a charge with EEOC, and the parties will attempt to settle if the agency finds wrongdoing. If you are not happy with the outcome, you have exhausted your administrative remedies and can sue in court. The exact strategy to protect your rights could be a combination of these options, depending on the strengths and weaknesses in your case.

 What is your experience with these cases? You should find out about your attorney’s full background with employment discrimination cases generally, and specifically those for age discrimination. Ask how many cases have settled or gone to trial, and whether there have been any adverse outcomes.

You can also see if your lawyer is a member of any professional organizations or has any certifications for successful practice in employment discrimination.

 How will I be charged for legal services? Most attorneys will charge a contingency fee for age discrimination cases, in which you do not pay unless you receive an award. A percentage of the amount you recover will cover legal fees, including your lawyer’s services and expenses incurred to pursue your claim.

In a rare case, an attorney may charge an hourly rate, such as where you are only seeking equitable relief instead of damages. 

A Florida Age Discrimination Lawyer Will Provide the Answers You Seek

Our attorneys at Sconzo Law Office are happy to answer these and any other questions about your rights, so please contact us at 561-279-6114 or via our website. We can set up a no-cost case assessment with a Palm Beach County age discrimination lawyer who will advise you on the legal process.

Source:

eeoc.gov/data/age-discrimination-employment-act-charges-filed-eeoc-includes-concurrent-charges-title-vii-ada